Jonathan Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by DangerMouse
Summary: NIMH from the mouse point of view - starting with when Jonathan met the current Mrs. Frisby and working our way backwards.


Jonathan Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

by: DangerMouse

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A Story Based on the Novel 

"Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM" 

by: Robert C. O'Brian

* * * * * *

"There's just no reason to build an irrigation tunnel all the way to the stream when we could just as easily tap into the farmer's existing pipes!"

Nicodemus sighed, trying to will away the headache he knew was coming. This was an old argument between Jenner and himself, one that was wearing thin on his patience. He watched the angry rat pace back and forth in his office, Jenner's tail swishing with fierce alarmity, threatening to knock all the papers off of the scarred rat's desk.

"We are already taking electricity from the Fitzgibbon's," Nicodemus argued. "We don't need his water as well. I worry that we could draw too much attention to ourselves."

"The farmer won't notice a little missing water," Jenner replied, whirling on the other rat. "Why should we drink filthy water filled with God knows what kind of contaminants when fresh water is right here for the taking?"

"That's the problem - taking! We're taking too much!" Jenner turned to look at the rat who had spoken. Justin had been sitting in the corner, watching the argument.

"Bah!" Jenner said, waving a paw at the younger rat. "I don't see anything wrong with it. We need it and it's there. End of story." Justin looked about to argue back, but Nicodemus stood and held up his paws, halting the discussion.

"We can always keep the pipe-tapping plan as a last resort," Nicodemus told them, placing a paw on Jenner's chest to forestall any further argument. "I think we should give the irrigation tunnel a full review before discounting it." Justin nodded, but Jenner let out an angry grunt, slapping his tail forcefully on the ground.

"Fine!" he growled, glaring at them both. "While you waste time taking trips to the shore, the rest of us will keep drinking dirty rainwater." Spinning on his heal, the dark rat stormed out of the office, muttering under his breath the whole way. Justin and Nicodemus exchanged a look before the older rat shook his head sadly.

"I don't know what's getting in to him," Nicodemus said sadly, going to sit down behind his desk. "He seems angry all the time."

"I don't know what it is," Justin replied. "You'd think he'd be happy, now that we're free and have a home." An uneasy silence fell between them, both rats lost in their thoughts. A soft knock at the open door frame startled them both.

"Arthur said you needed to see me?" came a quiet voice from the hallway. Nicodemus smiled as a young, handsome, dark furred mouse trotted easily into the room.

"Jonathan! How wonderful to see you!" said the scarred rat, standing once again, this time going over to give a quick embrace to his friend. "You and Mr. Ages made it from the old farmhouse okay?"

"It was no problem," Jonathan said with a wave of his paw. "If fact, it's a quite pleasant spring day out there today."

"Maybe we should go outside more often," Justin said with a laugh, patting the smaller rodent on the back.

"That's what I keep telling you!" Jonathan replied in kind. "Besides, we were planning on coming for a visit anyway. All Mr. Ages talked about on the hike over was heading down into the lower chambers to look for some more of those bitter mushrooms he's so interested in. We can't seem to cultivate them at the farmhouse."

"Well, we certainly have enough of them growing down there," Nicodemus said with a shake of his head, going back to sit at his desk. He gestured to Justin and Jonathan to sit down in the chairs in front of him, which they did. "Every time we get a good rain, they start growing out of control. They contaminated a good part of our foodstores last time."

"Yes, please, take them all!" Justin said, giving the mouse a grin. "Medicinal or not, they're a pain in our hind quarters!" All three of the gathered rodents gave a little laugh.

"Anyway, we're not here to discuss mushrooms," Jonathan said, giving Nicodemus his full attention.

"No, we're not," replied the older rat. "Actually we need you do to some scouting for us."

"Scouting?"

"Yes. It's becoming clear that we need a reliable source of water. We been tossing around a few ideas, but the best one seems to be digging an irrigation tunnel from the stream on the east side of the farm."

"The one near the woods?" Jonathan asked, tilting his head to the side as he envisioned the place. Nicodemus nodded, Jonathan frowned. "That's a long way to dig, isn't it?"

"Yes," Justin said, "but that stream is made up of melted snow running off of the mountain. It runs fast and clear - very clean and very pure."

"With little run-off from the farms in the area," Jonathan agreed, starting to understand.

"We could do without the pesticides," Nicodemus added, nodding gravely.

"I can see how it would be feasible," mused the mouse, "but it will take a lot of work."

"And a lot of piping," Justin replied. "We scavenged some old plumbing from a few of the abandoned houses in the area, but the less we have to use, the better. The shore by the stream is really unstable at times. The ground is somewhat loose and sandy."

"What we need you to look for," continued Nicodemus, "is a submerged boulder or a decent amount of rock slab, half on the shore, half in the water. Arthur believes he and a crew could blast through it and save a few yards of plumbing, at least initially."

"It will also provide the stability you'll need to support the first part of the water system," nodded Jonathan. "Not to mention the fact that a boulder will help disguise the fact that there is a 'mysterious' pipe sticking out into the water."

"Exactly," Justin said, grinning.

"Well, I'd be happy to do it, no problem," Jonathan replied with a amiable half-shrug, "but why me, exactly?"

"We figured a smaller, lone mouse would be more conspicuous than a team of large rats with surveying equipment," Justin said, giving Jonathan a pointed, if jovial, look. Jonathan smiled back at his friend.

"Good point," he replied. "I'll start out at first light. It shouldn't take me long to reach the stream. I'll probably be back before lunch."

"Ahh, lunch!" Nicodemus said, standing up and stretching. "Excellent idea, Jonathan. I think we all could do with a bit of that." The other two nodded, standing as well.

"That does sound good, after the walk here this morning," Jonathan said with a slight smile. "I best head down to the cellars and see if I can find Mr. Ages while we're at it. I fear if he spends too much time down there, he might start growing mushrooms on himself!" All three of them laughed as they left the office.

* * * * * *

True to his word, Jonathan left the rose bush and started moving towards the stream just as the first rays of dawn peaked over the horizon. The morning was cool, dew hanging heavy on the grass, soaking his fur as he walked, though not in an entirely unpleasant way. Once the sun rose high in the sky, he would be grateful for the dampness. Spring afternoons could be brutally hot and humid.

Jonathan moved cautiously through the grass. It was the best time of day to be traveling - the weather was still too cool for the snakes to start moving the nighttime predators were snuggled in their dens, and the hawks had yet to take flight. Few insects were buzzing - the daytime bugs not warm enough to start their daily tasks and the nighttime crickets were silent. However, it was this stillness and quiet that made Jonathan nervous, the sounds of his near silent movement through the grass ringing loudly to his own ears. It was with great relief when the stream finally came into view.

Walking up to the sandy bank, minding his footing so he wouldn't slip, Jonathan leaned down, taking a sip of the cool, fresh water. When the water stilled, he looked at his reflection, pleased with what he saw. _Not a bad looking mouse_, he thought with a little grin.

"See something interesting there?"

The voice coming from behind him startled Jonathan. He jumped up in surprise, spinning around quickly to see who had sneaked up on him. In his haste, he easily forgot the bank of the stream was quite slippery.

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Uh oh, he thought for a brief second before slipping head-over-heals backwards into the swiftly flowing river.

To be continued...


End file.
